Musings and observations of things going on that I feel compelled to comment on.

• 6Aug 09

  Criticism is Bad, Just Ask GS

  GameSpot does not want you to criticize their advertisers, no matter how much they deserve it. If you do, you will be punished by having your comment removed and points taken away. Not that this means much of anything to me, but some people here might find this reason enough to not say what they really feel, which is a shame.

  GameSpot is struggling to survive, as are all web-based media whose very survival rests on the ever-shrinking advertising revenue they generate. That is why you are not allowed to criticize GS' advertisers when posting comments about the "news" that is published here. Oh, and do not try to criticize GS for what they publish, either! GS is very sensitive and cannot stand having their editorial choices questioned by mere readers.

  So, the moral GS would like for this story is do not say anything about GS or their advertisers that is not complimentary. That isn't the real moral, of course, but it is the one GS hopes you take away when you get those ToS Violation emails, which never tell you what it is you posted that was so grievously wrong or morally reprehensible.

  • Posted Aug 6, 2009 11:55 am PT
  • Category: Editorial
  • 2 Comments
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• 12Oct 07

  I Will Not Buy The Orange Box

  I will not be buying the Orange Box. I really like Half-Life 2 and Episode 1. I have already purchased them once so that I could play them whenever I want to. I do not feel the need to purchase them again just to get Episode 2. I don't care about Team Fortress 2 and I don't care about Portal. I was willing to buy the Black Box to get Episode 2, but there is no way in Hell that I am going buy the Orange Box and end up with another copy of HL2 and Episode 1! Everyone I know that wanted HL2 already has it, so I would be stuck with additional copies, which amounts to wasted money. I hate wasting money, so that isn't going to happen.
  • Posted Oct 12, 2007 11:11 am PT
  • Category: Games
  • 5 Comments
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• 21Jun 07

  Manhunt 2

  The ESRB handed Rockstar an Adults Only (AO) rating for their upcoming title "Manhunt 2". Because this title was only coming out on Sony and Nintendo systems, which do not permit AO-rated games for their systems, Rockstar has a limited set of options available to them. In case you're wondering, Microsoft does not allow AO games for its consoles, either.

  Option one, which would be a best case scenario for Rockstar, is to appeal the ESRB rating and win an Mature (M) rating for Manhunt 2. An M rating would allow the game to be released as scheduled.

  Option two would be to tone the game down enough to make it to the M territory. This would mean a delay in the release of the game, but the game would eventually be released. Given the nature of this game, this may not be a realistic option.

  Option three, rework the game and release it on the PC. It will still have an AO rating, which would keep it out of just about every retail outlet on Earth, but it could potentially be sold via digital distribution channels or Take-2 could sell it directly to consumers.

  The option I'd like to see Rockstar and Take-2 choose is what I call Option four. Option four is to not release the game at all and seek some counselling for the issues that are clearly sitting at a slow boil in the employees of Rockstar and Take-2.

  Why do I say that? Because no one in their right mind would think a "game" where the object is to maim, torture and kill people for fun is a game that should be made, let alone played. Yes, many other games feature killing the enemy. Those games, however, usually have an objective above and beyond mass murder for the sake of committing mass murder, such as rescuing hostages, saving the country and saving the world.

  Manhunt 2 has no redeeming value. It does not make a socially relevant statement. It is in no way "pushing the envelope". Manhunt 2 is nothing more than an exercise in extremely poor taste on the part of the developers and extremely bad judgement on the part of Take-2. I am completely against censorship, but I am equally against just plain senseless.

  • Posted Jun 21, 2007 9:59 am PT
  • Category: Games
  • 0 Comments
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